Disclaimer: I'm running out of ideas these days.
-Syaoran smirks- Yes, your writing shows as much.
-UrbanCinderella glares, then turns sweetly back towards the audience- Though the mind I humbly call my own may swirl with many colorful ideas, I was not the great and honorable CLAMP, who first fabricated CCS. My only consolation is to write fiction based on the first original ideas, adding my own gently in, producing a wonderful end result.
-UrbanCinderella smiles triumphantly and faces Syaoran once again.- How was that?
-Syaoran frowns- Flowery.
Author's Note(s): I know, long time no update. Hope it's good enough to please you guys. ^-~ Thanks for the reviews.
Azi: You mentioned in your review something about Keland liking Sakura? I know I messed up in the last chapter, because I made him fall out of the type of character I meant for him to be. In this chapter I'll be trying to shift him back more towards. . . well. . . a cool-headed guy, not someone as easily unnerved as he appeared in the last chapter. I'm sorry he seemed like he liked her, I'm going to have to do something to put a stop to that. I'm still kicking myself for messing him up last chapter.
Summer Lover: Take a breath, dork. HAH! I called you a dork. Can't wait for the wrathful emails to roll in now that you know what I mean. ^-~
Everyone else: HEY! Como estas?
****
Sakura rolled rather ungracefully from her horse. Her legs remembered their job at the last moment and caught her, though she felt the Elite's eyes on her back. She sighed, her nerves already sufficiently frazzled.
'If it were under any other circumstances, that move might have brought me a month's worth of a banter. Instead I'll get only worried glances.'
Not bothering to turn, she stretched her sore muscles quickly, muttering curses lightly under her breath. Riding hard for a day was not the best idea when covered in bruises. Even her revenge, though sweet, could not avenge the pain.
Taking a deep breath, she finally forced her abused body to turn and face her men. The straightened themselves, waiting for her orders. She motioned to their surroundings.
"We will stay here tonight," she said simply. The soldiers began to reach for their saddlebags, but the Elite stayed firmly where they were. Sakura smiled grimly before she let her face become impassive again. Tonight, even her men's obedience could not cheer her.
She waited until the soldiers had nervously returned to facing her before she rattled off duties. She didn't bother with digging latrines; they wouldn't be here for long. Cooking, tending the horses, and making camp would be a personal task for the men. The only list begging attention was the sentry list. She pointed out posts before walking down the line of assembled men. She detailed four shifts, pointing towards the men as she named their time. She placed herself on the last shift. Only Master Panos was excluded.
As they heard her name, many of the Elite looked up. Lanus approached her cautiously, bowing before her. She kept her face impassive, motioning for him to speak. Mentally, she prepared her weary brain, praying only that it was nothing she couldn't deal with.
"Milady, we have enough sentries. You do not need to post yourself." He spoke slowly, his words firm and yet gentle.
She watched him through narrowed eyes, knowing he had avoided mentioning how tired she was. She sighed, feeling a smile tug at her lips.
"You are very diplomatic, Lanus," she said, earning a few light chuckles from the soldiers. Most of the Elite watched her closely, waiting to see her decision.
"If you are all sure. . . ," she said, letting her voice trail off. After a burst of loud agreements, she held up her hands in defeat. "Fine."
She turned her attention to Adara, letting out a slow breath. Though she hated the special treatment, she was glad to be catching up with her sleep.
Untying the knots, she pulled her blanket free from the saddle. Her eyes scanned over the familiar surroundings. It was a large clearing surrounded ominously by large maple trees. Draping the bedroll lightly over her shoulder, she led Adara to the very edge of the clearing and underneath the largest tree.
As she unsaddled and groomed her mount, she spared a glance at the men. She smiled as she saw that they had all chosen to sleep in the middle of the clearing, keeping as far from the trees as possible. She shook her head lightly and her smile fell from her lips. She let her painful memories take her away.
'My ears hurt from the awful news. My mind is stunned. They couldn't
be gone. This man, Cland I remind myself absently, he is lying. It is
just a cruel joke. If I only wait long enough, he will shout
"Midsummer's Jest". I stare for another minute, then tire of his game.
I pump my legs forcefully, ignoring his desperate calls. Soon I
outdistance him. I watch as the forest whirs by. If I only run fast
enough, I will see the village. I will see my parents. It was just a
joke.
I burst through the bushes, opening my arms wide, presenting myself
triumphantly to the village. I have figured out their joke. Surely
they will be sad from their failure, but together we would laugh about
it over the fire. I wait for them to come out of their hiding spots
and yell surprise.
An angry yell echoes out. I stare blankly; only my eyes work now. I
see town buildings we had all gathered in together. I see the burned
mess that was once my loving house. I see a crumpled heap of charred
brown and choke back a sob. My father's lifeless eyes are peering
through the brown. My mother's head lies near his body, severed from
her body.
My ears wake. I hear heavy footsteps, running towards me. I hear heavy
breathing and the sound of metal being pulled from its protective
sheath. With a heavy accent, a man swears loudly. Though most curses
are reserved for unhappiness, his voice is light and excited. It is
followed by an excited laugh.
Touch comes next. Rough hands seize me from behind, pulling me back
into the forest. I let them take me; I'm still in shock. I feel the
sword as it slashes mere inches behind me.
My mind is with me now. I no longer let myself be pulled; I run.
Animal instinct makes me flee. The stranger releases my hand and races
with me. Together we outdistance the man and his awful sword. Grabbing
my hand, my stranger throws me into a bush. I see him pull his own
sword from its sheath and await the other man.
I close my eyes. I hear the sound of metal meeting metal. I hear heavy
breathing and heavier curses. I don't want this. My ears pick up
another familiar sound. Metal breaks through skin where it promptly
meets bone. It slashes through the bone until it meets air. Now it is
free. The fight is over.
A gasp escapes my lips as something hits me. My eyes open. I look
down, into my pursuer's eyes. A tear falls from my eyes but I do not
show any more fear.
The same hand grabs me just as roughly, pulling me from the bush. This
time I fight. I push his hands away from me, returning to the bush. It
takes a moment, but soon my mouth is wet enough. Aiming carefully, I
spit on the man.
I hear a snort and feel myself being pulled again. This time I let him
take me. He lifts me in his arms and I finally see him.
His hair is dark, as are his eyes. They seem kind, although they now
gleam from battle. His body is tall and slightly lanky. I did not
realize who he was and he did not tell me, though I would meet him
again in his true form shortly.
He carries me lightly as though my weight is nothing. Soon I see two
horses. Startled, I let him place me on one. He mumbles something
about riding and I take the reins lightly. I let his mare lead so my
attention is mostly free.
I watch blankly as the forest waves goodbye to me. As the leaves
rustle around me, I carefully ignore any other sound. My heart grows
sad as I realize all I am leaving. The wind surrounds me, gently
protecting me. I let the sounds keep me from the present.
We ride in silence. Finally we break through the end of the forest. I
rein in my mare uncertainly. The stranger looks back and curses before
trying to grab the reins from me. I keep my grip firm. I cannot leave
the forest. I tell him as much.
He curses again and jerks the reins from my hand, glaring at me. His
kind eyes look unnatural in such a way. I stare without a word, though
he makes up for my silence with a long speech about ungrateful
children.
I did not hear it all. I slip from my horse and race back towards the
forest. The trees now wave their welcome; the wind greets me gaily.
Then I stop. I urge my body forward but it remains motionless. Words
break through my new surprise.
"You are coming with me, girl. Returning to that forest will result in
nothing but your death. Now get on the horse," he said roughly.
I feel my legs moving and glare at him. His orders are in my head. I
can hear him in my mind as he tells me to move. "How can this stranger
force me to abandon my home?" I argue with him. My legs stop moving,
proof of my anger's power.
"I cannot leave the trees." Now his thoughts are nothing but weak
echoes.
"My family will miss me." My thought jolts me and a pained gasp claims
me. Suddenly the man's voice is booming my thoughts. I watch numbly as
I climb back atop the provided mare. The forest's goodbye once again
echoes in my ears. A lone tear falls.'
A voice brought her from her memories. She knew he had viewed the memories with her. "You were stubborn."
Sakura knew he was trying to apologize. Her anger bristled. He had embarrassed her before and now he wanted to apologize? She might accept it, but he wouldn't get off easily.
"I had lost my home and my family. You were making me leave the last thing I had to comfort me: the forest. How did you expect me to react? And, might I remind you, you weren't being overly nice." Her voice was harsh now.
Yue was quiet. When he answered, his voice was softer than she had ever heard it. "I am hard on you when I am trying to protect you."
Her anger slowly drained, leaving her with no response. She felt his hand on her shoulder.
"I am sorry," he said, his voice still soft. "I was indeed proud of you."
His words melted any remaining anger she had bottled up and she gave him a quick hug, startling the guardian greatly. Though his expression was surprised for a moment, it soon flashed back to its normal guarded mask.
He stepped back from her, looking at the trees. "They are happy to have you home," he said thoughtfully.
Sakura smiled. "It's been a long time since I've seen this place." She looked around again, her smile turning loving. "I got my first kiss in this clearing."
Yue snorted. "And the trees probably remember it."
The wind rustled the leaves lightly. Sakura watched as a leaf broke free of the branch and floated over to her, landing gently in her outstretched hand. She closed her fist over it, thanking the tree for its gift.
The two stood there for a moment before Yue sighed. "You are tired."
Sakura opened her mouth to protest, but a yawn escaped instead. She blushed and turned from the guardian's amused glance.
Quickly, she tied Adara's reins loosely in the tree, giving her enough room to graze. She spread her bedroll on the floor, not bothering with food. Yue smiled faintly before leaving her.
As she dropped her head on the roll, she went through her usual checklist. She had just gotten to horse grooming when her eyes closed. She let herself drift off to sleep.
****
Kero flew towards Yue, landing gracefully on his shoulder. The moon guardian smirked.
"To what do I owe the honor?"
The lion glared at him for a minute before answering. "You apologized to Sakura, then?"
Yue's only answer was a grunt. Kero's face sprouted a smile.
"Good."
Without another word, the sun guardian flew off, heading towards Sakura's bedroll. Yue watched as he tucked himself neatly beside her. Shaking his head, Yue plopped down against a tree, his eyes rooted to Sakura. He knew she would go into a rage if she saw him guarding her, but it had to be done.
He let out a slow sigh, wishing he had brought a blanket. The bark was beginning to scratch his wings. Finally he changed into his false form. Exhaustion flowed into him as well as hunger. He groaned as he remembered this form had many more needs.
There was a polite cough behind him and he turned, scowl present.
Keland stood in the shadows of the tree. Yukito smiled politely yet distantly before leaning back in his original position. Sleep was trying to claim him and its grip was strong.
This time the man laughed. He moved forward and dropped something onto Yukito's lap. The guardian looked down and found a blanket. The man now handed him a cold sandwich. He took it eagerly, biting off a large portion.
Seeing how fast the food was going, Keland produced another sandwich quickly. Yukito looked up at him, eyes smiling and questioning at the same time.
Keland shrugged at the unspoken question. "I've seen you change before, Yue."
He glanced back at Sakura, speaking over his shoulder as he continued. "If she wasn't so tired, she would be in my place right now."
Yukito snorted. "I'm her guardian. Not the other way around."
Keland looked back quickly, recognizing the angry tone. He kept his own voice mild, speaking slowly. "Accepting kindness isn't always a show of weakness."
Before the guardian could respond, he stood, letting a yawn escape his lips. "Now, I'm tired. I'm off to bed."
He left with a simple goodnight, leaving the guardian alone with his thoughts.
Yukito watched Sakura's sleeping form as he finished his second sandwich. He wrapped the blanket around his shoulders, feeling very sleepy. He thought over Keland's advice for a moment. A grim smile found his lips.
'Maybe Sakura should try it herself.'
****
'The sound of her footsteps was accompanied by her laughter. She
watched as the trees slipped away beside her. The way the trees were
moving reminded her of something. A shout behind her and heavy
footsteps caused the feeling of recognition to be stronger.
Her footsteps were now accompanied with a steady flow of tears. Her
legs continued to pump as she watched the forest whir behind her. The
sky was getting darker and she no longer enjoyed the sound of the
rustling.
She could see it up ahead. The first sign was a chimney that could be
spotted just through the overhanging trees. Her tears were coming
faster now. A sob escaped her lips and she tried to halt her legs.
They continued to pump steadily. She already knew the route.
She stumbled and fell, scraping herself badly. Though she wanted
nothing more than to stay on the ground, her legs soon picked her up.
They continued to carry her toward the village.
Cland was motioning towards her, calling her over. His words sounded
like a warning, but couldn't stop. Her legs carried her onward. This
time he didn't chase after her.
She broke through the brush, her tears spreading behind her. Her legs
now held her rooted to the ground. She heard the same yell that had
echoed throughout her dreams many times before. She saw the same face
that had been stripped of its body so long ago. The head now floated
above the ground, racing towards her.
Her eyes found a familiar pile. The whites of her father's eyes broke
through charred brown flesh. She choked back a sob, breaking her eyes
from the awful sight.
There was a flash of metal and a sword appeared next to the head. She
swallowed, her eyes wide. The tears had stopped falling now. She was
waiting. She knew this. The hands would grab her. Yue would save her.
But there were no hands.
The man was getting closer; he was mere inches from her. His face was
contorted into an awful grin as the sword raised itself.
She couldn't move.
She closed her eyes, listening to the sound of the metal cutting
through the air as it made its downward arc. She heard the man's
grunt. It sounded pleased. Then she heard the metal hitting metal.
Her eyes flew open and took in the back of a man she knew she should
recognize. The attacker's body had suddenly appeared, joining his head
and holding the sword in his hand. She watched numbly as the new man
parried the attacker's fierce blow, drew back his sword quickly, and
slashed again. The attacker crumpled in a pile.
Her savior wasn't even breathing hard. He raised himself and grabbed a
handful of leafs. He quickly wiped his sword clean of the man's blood.
His back still to her, she found herself free to move. She stepped
forward slowly. Her movement caught his attention and he turned to
her.
His amber eyes caught her startled emerald ones. Suddenly her mind was
working. She recalled quickly who he was.
"Why are you here?" she asked wearily.
He smirked and waved his hand nonchalantly. "We have Seers who can
project an image into a person's dreams," he said, pausing to look at
her for a minute. "Apparently neither of your guardians bothered to
protect you from such."
Her anger flared, but she restrained herself. The sword hanging limply
at his side was a very solid reminder of how little control she had
right now.
She motioned around the destroyed village, then spoke, trying hard to
keep her voice even. "And you're here to inspect your handiwork,
then?"
He watched her for a minute before pointing to the fallen soldier.
"You see the 'E' embroidered on his uniform there?"
She moved closer, nodding slowly when she saw the letter.
"It stands for Einar, our chief advisor," he said, watching her
closely. "I have no control over them. They are his personal guard."
Sakura scowled, refusing to believe him. Her voice was skeptical. "So
you're telling me that a prince couldn't stop his own advisor's
guard?"
Syaoran shrugged. "Not officially, no."
She watched him closely, knowing it had to hurt his pride a little to
admit it. She saw a flicker of anger before it disappeared under his
mask.
She let out a slow sigh. "Why are you here then?"
He let out a small laugh, his eyes narrowed on her. "We didn't get to
finish our talk last time."
Sakura raised an eyebrow neatly. "Taunting isn't talking," she said. A
smile crept onto her lips. "And besides, I thought we put an end to
that anyway."
Syaoran's eyes narrowed even more, anger radiating from him. His face
suddenly broke into a smile, although it did not reach his eyes.
"I came to visit you for a reason, lady."
She waited patiently for him to continue.
"I wanted to see where you were going," he finished finally.
She snorted. "You came to spy, then?"
"Different name, same meaning," he said nonchalantly.
She raised an eyebrow again. "If you think I'm going to tell you where
we're headed, you're sorely mistaken."
The prince frowned. "Well. I had hoped you would have another answer
to that," he said. As he spoke, he pulled the now clean sword free of
its sheath and brandished it before her.
"I do so hate to be mean," he said softly. His eyes were glowing
dangerously.
She watched him carefully. "If you kill me in the dream, I will just
wake up," she said, her tone sounding bored. Inside her heart was
thumping wildly. She could only hope it was true.
The prince broke into a smirk. "I said nothing about killing you." He
shifted his sword closer to her. "There are lots of painful things I
can do that won't cause you to wake."
She swallowed unconsciously, hating that he was scaring her. His
laughter alerted her he was aware of the power he exercised over her
emotions. She cursed silently.
A simple plan entered her head. Now that her legs were free to move,
she used them. She pumped them wildly, sending herself into the
forest. She heard his grim laughter as he dove in after her. She only
hoped she could still remember where the cliff was.
She passed Cland on the way. He saw her and made an attempt to grab
her. She dodged him easily, hoping he would be safe from the prince.
She reprimanded herself. Of course he would be safe. He was only a
dream.
She could feel him on her heels, but she knew she had the advantage.
She knew her way through the forest. She thanked the gods that the
dream hadn't changed the forest.
She felt his hand on her and panic gave her speed. She quickly
regained her lead, ignoring his curses.
Before long she could see it. The cliff. As a child, she had been
warned not to come near it. The village had even placed a fence in
front of it in an attempt to keep the children safe. Naturally the
children gathered here often.
As she neared the cliff, she caught sight of the fence. There was no
time to climb it. The prince would surely grab her. She would have to
jump it.
She calculated it carefully. As a child, it had been above her head,
but now it was merely to her waist. She threw her last bit of energy
into the jump and sailed over.
She heard the prince curse and halt. He had to climb.
Stopping herself neatly on the very edge, she turned to face him.
"Until we meet again, Prince Li."
Before he could answer, she stepped backwards, watching as the black
engulfed her.
****
His mother was waiting when he returned. With a motion, the Seer ran from the room. He looked wearily at his mother.
"I thought you were working on breaking through Yue's magic, dear," she said. Although her voice might appear light to most, Syaoran knew better.
He bowed his head, trying to maintain submission although he was really was angry. He knew she was not to blame. When he raised his head, she was watching him, still waiting for an answer.
"I was trying something new," he said slowly.
She watched him for another minute before leaving the room. As she got to the door, she stopped for a minute. "Einar thinks it best if you try to break through the spell."
Syaoran mumbled under his breath, "And Einar is always right."
Not noticing her sarcasm, the queen nodded. "He is always right."
She left quickly, but not before Syaoran could notice the strange gleam in her eye.
'Perhaps it is time to put an end to Einar's game. He is going too far now.'
****
Author's Note2: Hey! I know that this is kinda a confusing chapter, but it's important. The last scene is really important, and the whole dream thing is too. If you watch carefully, you see at first it sounds like a normal dream (strange and unconnected) but when Syaoran enters, the dream stops and it's just a backdrop pretty much. The dream meant for the soldier to kill her, but when Syaoran protected her, the dream's plan ended. And she had to jump off the cliff, because it would jolt her awake (think about when you jump off a cliff). Well, I didn't know if anyone would be confused, so here is the explanation just in case. ^-~
-Syaoran smirks- Yes, your writing shows as much.
-UrbanCinderella glares, then turns sweetly back towards the audience- Though the mind I humbly call my own may swirl with many colorful ideas, I was not the great and honorable CLAMP, who first fabricated CCS. My only consolation is to write fiction based on the first original ideas, adding my own gently in, producing a wonderful end result.
-UrbanCinderella smiles triumphantly and faces Syaoran once again.- How was that?
-Syaoran frowns- Flowery.
Author's Note(s): I know, long time no update. Hope it's good enough to please you guys. ^-~ Thanks for the reviews.
Azi: You mentioned in your review something about Keland liking Sakura? I know I messed up in the last chapter, because I made him fall out of the type of character I meant for him to be. In this chapter I'll be trying to shift him back more towards. . . well. . . a cool-headed guy, not someone as easily unnerved as he appeared in the last chapter. I'm sorry he seemed like he liked her, I'm going to have to do something to put a stop to that. I'm still kicking myself for messing him up last chapter.
Summer Lover: Take a breath, dork. HAH! I called you a dork. Can't wait for the wrathful emails to roll in now that you know what I mean. ^-~
Everyone else: HEY! Como estas?
****
Sakura rolled rather ungracefully from her horse. Her legs remembered their job at the last moment and caught her, though she felt the Elite's eyes on her back. She sighed, her nerves already sufficiently frazzled.
'If it were under any other circumstances, that move might have brought me a month's worth of a banter. Instead I'll get only worried glances.'
Not bothering to turn, she stretched her sore muscles quickly, muttering curses lightly under her breath. Riding hard for a day was not the best idea when covered in bruises. Even her revenge, though sweet, could not avenge the pain.
Taking a deep breath, she finally forced her abused body to turn and face her men. The straightened themselves, waiting for her orders. She motioned to their surroundings.
"We will stay here tonight," she said simply. The soldiers began to reach for their saddlebags, but the Elite stayed firmly where they were. Sakura smiled grimly before she let her face become impassive again. Tonight, even her men's obedience could not cheer her.
She waited until the soldiers had nervously returned to facing her before she rattled off duties. She didn't bother with digging latrines; they wouldn't be here for long. Cooking, tending the horses, and making camp would be a personal task for the men. The only list begging attention was the sentry list. She pointed out posts before walking down the line of assembled men. She detailed four shifts, pointing towards the men as she named their time. She placed herself on the last shift. Only Master Panos was excluded.
As they heard her name, many of the Elite looked up. Lanus approached her cautiously, bowing before her. She kept her face impassive, motioning for him to speak. Mentally, she prepared her weary brain, praying only that it was nothing she couldn't deal with.
"Milady, we have enough sentries. You do not need to post yourself." He spoke slowly, his words firm and yet gentle.
She watched him through narrowed eyes, knowing he had avoided mentioning how tired she was. She sighed, feeling a smile tug at her lips.
"You are very diplomatic, Lanus," she said, earning a few light chuckles from the soldiers. Most of the Elite watched her closely, waiting to see her decision.
"If you are all sure. . . ," she said, letting her voice trail off. After a burst of loud agreements, she held up her hands in defeat. "Fine."
She turned her attention to Adara, letting out a slow breath. Though she hated the special treatment, she was glad to be catching up with her sleep.
Untying the knots, she pulled her blanket free from the saddle. Her eyes scanned over the familiar surroundings. It was a large clearing surrounded ominously by large maple trees. Draping the bedroll lightly over her shoulder, she led Adara to the very edge of the clearing and underneath the largest tree.
As she unsaddled and groomed her mount, she spared a glance at the men. She smiled as she saw that they had all chosen to sleep in the middle of the clearing, keeping as far from the trees as possible. She shook her head lightly and her smile fell from her lips. She let her painful memories take her away.
'My ears hurt from the awful news. My mind is stunned. They couldn't
be gone. This man, Cland I remind myself absently, he is lying. It is
just a cruel joke. If I only wait long enough, he will shout
"Midsummer's Jest". I stare for another minute, then tire of his game.
I pump my legs forcefully, ignoring his desperate calls. Soon I
outdistance him. I watch as the forest whirs by. If I only run fast
enough, I will see the village. I will see my parents. It was just a
joke.
I burst through the bushes, opening my arms wide, presenting myself
triumphantly to the village. I have figured out their joke. Surely
they will be sad from their failure, but together we would laugh about
it over the fire. I wait for them to come out of their hiding spots
and yell surprise.
An angry yell echoes out. I stare blankly; only my eyes work now. I
see town buildings we had all gathered in together. I see the burned
mess that was once my loving house. I see a crumpled heap of charred
brown and choke back a sob. My father's lifeless eyes are peering
through the brown. My mother's head lies near his body, severed from
her body.
My ears wake. I hear heavy footsteps, running towards me. I hear heavy
breathing and the sound of metal being pulled from its protective
sheath. With a heavy accent, a man swears loudly. Though most curses
are reserved for unhappiness, his voice is light and excited. It is
followed by an excited laugh.
Touch comes next. Rough hands seize me from behind, pulling me back
into the forest. I let them take me; I'm still in shock. I feel the
sword as it slashes mere inches behind me.
My mind is with me now. I no longer let myself be pulled; I run.
Animal instinct makes me flee. The stranger releases my hand and races
with me. Together we outdistance the man and his awful sword. Grabbing
my hand, my stranger throws me into a bush. I see him pull his own
sword from its sheath and await the other man.
I close my eyes. I hear the sound of metal meeting metal. I hear heavy
breathing and heavier curses. I don't want this. My ears pick up
another familiar sound. Metal breaks through skin where it promptly
meets bone. It slashes through the bone until it meets air. Now it is
free. The fight is over.
A gasp escapes my lips as something hits me. My eyes open. I look
down, into my pursuer's eyes. A tear falls from my eyes but I do not
show any more fear.
The same hand grabs me just as roughly, pulling me from the bush. This
time I fight. I push his hands away from me, returning to the bush. It
takes a moment, but soon my mouth is wet enough. Aiming carefully, I
spit on the man.
I hear a snort and feel myself being pulled again. This time I let him
take me. He lifts me in his arms and I finally see him.
His hair is dark, as are his eyes. They seem kind, although they now
gleam from battle. His body is tall and slightly lanky. I did not
realize who he was and he did not tell me, though I would meet him
again in his true form shortly.
He carries me lightly as though my weight is nothing. Soon I see two
horses. Startled, I let him place me on one. He mumbles something
about riding and I take the reins lightly. I let his mare lead so my
attention is mostly free.
I watch blankly as the forest waves goodbye to me. As the leaves
rustle around me, I carefully ignore any other sound. My heart grows
sad as I realize all I am leaving. The wind surrounds me, gently
protecting me. I let the sounds keep me from the present.
We ride in silence. Finally we break through the end of the forest. I
rein in my mare uncertainly. The stranger looks back and curses before
trying to grab the reins from me. I keep my grip firm. I cannot leave
the forest. I tell him as much.
He curses again and jerks the reins from my hand, glaring at me. His
kind eyes look unnatural in such a way. I stare without a word, though
he makes up for my silence with a long speech about ungrateful
children.
I did not hear it all. I slip from my horse and race back towards the
forest. The trees now wave their welcome; the wind greets me gaily.
Then I stop. I urge my body forward but it remains motionless. Words
break through my new surprise.
"You are coming with me, girl. Returning to that forest will result in
nothing but your death. Now get on the horse," he said roughly.
I feel my legs moving and glare at him. His orders are in my head. I
can hear him in my mind as he tells me to move. "How can this stranger
force me to abandon my home?" I argue with him. My legs stop moving,
proof of my anger's power.
"I cannot leave the trees." Now his thoughts are nothing but weak
echoes.
"My family will miss me." My thought jolts me and a pained gasp claims
me. Suddenly the man's voice is booming my thoughts. I watch numbly as
I climb back atop the provided mare. The forest's goodbye once again
echoes in my ears. A lone tear falls.'
A voice brought her from her memories. She knew he had viewed the memories with her. "You were stubborn."
Sakura knew he was trying to apologize. Her anger bristled. He had embarrassed her before and now he wanted to apologize? She might accept it, but he wouldn't get off easily.
"I had lost my home and my family. You were making me leave the last thing I had to comfort me: the forest. How did you expect me to react? And, might I remind you, you weren't being overly nice." Her voice was harsh now.
Yue was quiet. When he answered, his voice was softer than she had ever heard it. "I am hard on you when I am trying to protect you."
Her anger slowly drained, leaving her with no response. She felt his hand on her shoulder.
"I am sorry," he said, his voice still soft. "I was indeed proud of you."
His words melted any remaining anger she had bottled up and she gave him a quick hug, startling the guardian greatly. Though his expression was surprised for a moment, it soon flashed back to its normal guarded mask.
He stepped back from her, looking at the trees. "They are happy to have you home," he said thoughtfully.
Sakura smiled. "It's been a long time since I've seen this place." She looked around again, her smile turning loving. "I got my first kiss in this clearing."
Yue snorted. "And the trees probably remember it."
The wind rustled the leaves lightly. Sakura watched as a leaf broke free of the branch and floated over to her, landing gently in her outstretched hand. She closed her fist over it, thanking the tree for its gift.
The two stood there for a moment before Yue sighed. "You are tired."
Sakura opened her mouth to protest, but a yawn escaped instead. She blushed and turned from the guardian's amused glance.
Quickly, she tied Adara's reins loosely in the tree, giving her enough room to graze. She spread her bedroll on the floor, not bothering with food. Yue smiled faintly before leaving her.
As she dropped her head on the roll, she went through her usual checklist. She had just gotten to horse grooming when her eyes closed. She let herself drift off to sleep.
****
Kero flew towards Yue, landing gracefully on his shoulder. The moon guardian smirked.
"To what do I owe the honor?"
The lion glared at him for a minute before answering. "You apologized to Sakura, then?"
Yue's only answer was a grunt. Kero's face sprouted a smile.
"Good."
Without another word, the sun guardian flew off, heading towards Sakura's bedroll. Yue watched as he tucked himself neatly beside her. Shaking his head, Yue plopped down against a tree, his eyes rooted to Sakura. He knew she would go into a rage if she saw him guarding her, but it had to be done.
He let out a slow sigh, wishing he had brought a blanket. The bark was beginning to scratch his wings. Finally he changed into his false form. Exhaustion flowed into him as well as hunger. He groaned as he remembered this form had many more needs.
There was a polite cough behind him and he turned, scowl present.
Keland stood in the shadows of the tree. Yukito smiled politely yet distantly before leaning back in his original position. Sleep was trying to claim him and its grip was strong.
This time the man laughed. He moved forward and dropped something onto Yukito's lap. The guardian looked down and found a blanket. The man now handed him a cold sandwich. He took it eagerly, biting off a large portion.
Seeing how fast the food was going, Keland produced another sandwich quickly. Yukito looked up at him, eyes smiling and questioning at the same time.
Keland shrugged at the unspoken question. "I've seen you change before, Yue."
He glanced back at Sakura, speaking over his shoulder as he continued. "If she wasn't so tired, she would be in my place right now."
Yukito snorted. "I'm her guardian. Not the other way around."
Keland looked back quickly, recognizing the angry tone. He kept his own voice mild, speaking slowly. "Accepting kindness isn't always a show of weakness."
Before the guardian could respond, he stood, letting a yawn escape his lips. "Now, I'm tired. I'm off to bed."
He left with a simple goodnight, leaving the guardian alone with his thoughts.
Yukito watched Sakura's sleeping form as he finished his second sandwich. He wrapped the blanket around his shoulders, feeling very sleepy. He thought over Keland's advice for a moment. A grim smile found his lips.
'Maybe Sakura should try it herself.'
****
'The sound of her footsteps was accompanied by her laughter. She
watched as the trees slipped away beside her. The way the trees were
moving reminded her of something. A shout behind her and heavy
footsteps caused the feeling of recognition to be stronger.
Her footsteps were now accompanied with a steady flow of tears. Her
legs continued to pump as she watched the forest whir behind her. The
sky was getting darker and she no longer enjoyed the sound of the
rustling.
She could see it up ahead. The first sign was a chimney that could be
spotted just through the overhanging trees. Her tears were coming
faster now. A sob escaped her lips and she tried to halt her legs.
They continued to pump steadily. She already knew the route.
She stumbled and fell, scraping herself badly. Though she wanted
nothing more than to stay on the ground, her legs soon picked her up.
They continued to carry her toward the village.
Cland was motioning towards her, calling her over. His words sounded
like a warning, but couldn't stop. Her legs carried her onward. This
time he didn't chase after her.
She broke through the brush, her tears spreading behind her. Her legs
now held her rooted to the ground. She heard the same yell that had
echoed throughout her dreams many times before. She saw the same face
that had been stripped of its body so long ago. The head now floated
above the ground, racing towards her.
Her eyes found a familiar pile. The whites of her father's eyes broke
through charred brown flesh. She choked back a sob, breaking her eyes
from the awful sight.
There was a flash of metal and a sword appeared next to the head. She
swallowed, her eyes wide. The tears had stopped falling now. She was
waiting. She knew this. The hands would grab her. Yue would save her.
But there were no hands.
The man was getting closer; he was mere inches from her. His face was
contorted into an awful grin as the sword raised itself.
She couldn't move.
She closed her eyes, listening to the sound of the metal cutting
through the air as it made its downward arc. She heard the man's
grunt. It sounded pleased. Then she heard the metal hitting metal.
Her eyes flew open and took in the back of a man she knew she should
recognize. The attacker's body had suddenly appeared, joining his head
and holding the sword in his hand. She watched numbly as the new man
parried the attacker's fierce blow, drew back his sword quickly, and
slashed again. The attacker crumpled in a pile.
Her savior wasn't even breathing hard. He raised himself and grabbed a
handful of leafs. He quickly wiped his sword clean of the man's blood.
His back still to her, she found herself free to move. She stepped
forward slowly. Her movement caught his attention and he turned to
her.
His amber eyes caught her startled emerald ones. Suddenly her mind was
working. She recalled quickly who he was.
"Why are you here?" she asked wearily.
He smirked and waved his hand nonchalantly. "We have Seers who can
project an image into a person's dreams," he said, pausing to look at
her for a minute. "Apparently neither of your guardians bothered to
protect you from such."
Her anger flared, but she restrained herself. The sword hanging limply
at his side was a very solid reminder of how little control she had
right now.
She motioned around the destroyed village, then spoke, trying hard to
keep her voice even. "And you're here to inspect your handiwork,
then?"
He watched her for a minute before pointing to the fallen soldier.
"You see the 'E' embroidered on his uniform there?"
She moved closer, nodding slowly when she saw the letter.
"It stands for Einar, our chief advisor," he said, watching her
closely. "I have no control over them. They are his personal guard."
Sakura scowled, refusing to believe him. Her voice was skeptical. "So
you're telling me that a prince couldn't stop his own advisor's
guard?"
Syaoran shrugged. "Not officially, no."
She watched him closely, knowing it had to hurt his pride a little to
admit it. She saw a flicker of anger before it disappeared under his
mask.
She let out a slow sigh. "Why are you here then?"
He let out a small laugh, his eyes narrowed on her. "We didn't get to
finish our talk last time."
Sakura raised an eyebrow neatly. "Taunting isn't talking," she said. A
smile crept onto her lips. "And besides, I thought we put an end to
that anyway."
Syaoran's eyes narrowed even more, anger radiating from him. His face
suddenly broke into a smile, although it did not reach his eyes.
"I came to visit you for a reason, lady."
She waited patiently for him to continue.
"I wanted to see where you were going," he finished finally.
She snorted. "You came to spy, then?"
"Different name, same meaning," he said nonchalantly.
She raised an eyebrow again. "If you think I'm going to tell you where
we're headed, you're sorely mistaken."
The prince frowned. "Well. I had hoped you would have another answer
to that," he said. As he spoke, he pulled the now clean sword free of
its sheath and brandished it before her.
"I do so hate to be mean," he said softly. His eyes were glowing
dangerously.
She watched him carefully. "If you kill me in the dream, I will just
wake up," she said, her tone sounding bored. Inside her heart was
thumping wildly. She could only hope it was true.
The prince broke into a smirk. "I said nothing about killing you." He
shifted his sword closer to her. "There are lots of painful things I
can do that won't cause you to wake."
She swallowed unconsciously, hating that he was scaring her. His
laughter alerted her he was aware of the power he exercised over her
emotions. She cursed silently.
A simple plan entered her head. Now that her legs were free to move,
she used them. She pumped them wildly, sending herself into the
forest. She heard his grim laughter as he dove in after her. She only
hoped she could still remember where the cliff was.
She passed Cland on the way. He saw her and made an attempt to grab
her. She dodged him easily, hoping he would be safe from the prince.
She reprimanded herself. Of course he would be safe. He was only a
dream.
She could feel him on her heels, but she knew she had the advantage.
She knew her way through the forest. She thanked the gods that the
dream hadn't changed the forest.
She felt his hand on her and panic gave her speed. She quickly
regained her lead, ignoring his curses.
Before long she could see it. The cliff. As a child, she had been
warned not to come near it. The village had even placed a fence in
front of it in an attempt to keep the children safe. Naturally the
children gathered here often.
As she neared the cliff, she caught sight of the fence. There was no
time to climb it. The prince would surely grab her. She would have to
jump it.
She calculated it carefully. As a child, it had been above her head,
but now it was merely to her waist. She threw her last bit of energy
into the jump and sailed over.
She heard the prince curse and halt. He had to climb.
Stopping herself neatly on the very edge, she turned to face him.
"Until we meet again, Prince Li."
Before he could answer, she stepped backwards, watching as the black
engulfed her.
****
His mother was waiting when he returned. With a motion, the Seer ran from the room. He looked wearily at his mother.
"I thought you were working on breaking through Yue's magic, dear," she said. Although her voice might appear light to most, Syaoran knew better.
He bowed his head, trying to maintain submission although he was really was angry. He knew she was not to blame. When he raised his head, she was watching him, still waiting for an answer.
"I was trying something new," he said slowly.
She watched him for another minute before leaving the room. As she got to the door, she stopped for a minute. "Einar thinks it best if you try to break through the spell."
Syaoran mumbled under his breath, "And Einar is always right."
Not noticing her sarcasm, the queen nodded. "He is always right."
She left quickly, but not before Syaoran could notice the strange gleam in her eye.
'Perhaps it is time to put an end to Einar's game. He is going too far now.'
****
Author's Note2: Hey! I know that this is kinda a confusing chapter, but it's important. The last scene is really important, and the whole dream thing is too. If you watch carefully, you see at first it sounds like a normal dream (strange and unconnected) but when Syaoran enters, the dream stops and it's just a backdrop pretty much. The dream meant for the soldier to kill her, but when Syaoran protected her, the dream's plan ended. And she had to jump off the cliff, because it would jolt her awake (think about when you jump off a cliff). Well, I didn't know if anyone would be confused, so here is the explanation just in case. ^-~