For Old Time's Sake
Chapter 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura or Great Britain.
Author's Notes: Thank you for the reviews everyone! I deeply appreciate it. I will try harder to improve my (bad) writing.
Kelly [This is an YS fic. I know he is very OOC. Hehe.] Mistress Black [Thank you!;D] jade dragon [Sure thing!] darkness127 [Thank you, I didn't exactly know how to do it] c0nfused-s0ul [I think this chapter will answer your question!]
Thanks to these people!
Summary: Yue has invited Sakura to the ball¡KNo matter how different they may seem, and under such strange circumstances, what will happen?
Rating: Still PG for now. I hope.
Please enjoy this chapter!
It was a bright Monday morning. The streets are in full city bustle, and voices were ringing all over the neighbourhood.
A grand carriage, however, changed all that when the six snowy horses pulling it pulled to a stop outside Roger's Bar. Curious stares set their sights on the magnificent sleek black transportation, and wondered why in the heavens did it stop outside the godforsaken bar.
A short footman hopped down and cleared his throat. The neighborhood guiltily tore their eyes from the expensive scene, but opened their ears in hope of eavesdropping.
The footman, by the name of Farhogg, rapped sharply on the door of the bar.
No answer.
Farhogg banged on the door again, this time so loudly that the people had to wince.
A groggy-looking man, clearly suffering from a hangover, swung open the door. He took one look at the short man and yelled, not noticing the carriage.
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU WANT WITH THIS NIGHT BAR SO EARLY IN THE MORNING?!!! IT'S BLOODY CLOSED! COME BACK 10 HOURS LATER!!!"
Farhogg merely raised an eyebrow at the volume, while the commoners shook their heads. Farhogg took out a roll of parchment from nowhere, and started to announce in an equally loud voice, only brighter.
"THE COUNTESS OF CAMDEN!"
Everybody gasped and turned to watch, caring little about courtesy. They had heard the Countess of Camden was a cruel and no-nonsense woman, and a friend of the Ice Duke. They wanted to see for themselves if this was a fact...or fiction. Rarely anybody got to see Camden's Countess. But now, the footman opened the door, and they eagerly watched.
But what met their eyes was totally contrary of what they had heard in gossip. A young lady of not more than 19 years stepped down. She had silky ebony hair, so long that it touched the hip. Clad in a lilac gown, it enhanced her gentle, lavender orbs. She had the creamiest skin anyone had seen, and curls of raven brought out its radiance.
Tomoyo graced a small smile on her face. She giggled to herself when she remembered her good friend Yue the day before.
They were on the balcony of Yue's sweeping estate. Tomoyo was with her husband, the Count, and with the Duke of Birmingham. Eriol and Yue were talking about politics, while Tomoyo listened politely while she drank a delicate cup of earl gray.
Eriol suddenly changed the topic to the ball for the ton next week.
"How many people have you invited?"
"I invited not many, but Mother has other ideas. She invited the all the ton's ladies!"
Eriol shook his head sympathetically. "I know exactly how you feel. But I found a perfect wife that way, though." He glanced lovingly at the smiling Tomoyo.
"You're different. You have been crowned the king of the ladies. It was easy for you to talk to them. But I don't even want to meet them."
Eriol snorted.
"But..." Yue continued.
Tomoyo pricked her ears. She knew the Duke had his sights on someone. She could tell from the way his eyes drifted somewhere and settled to the woods outside.
"Lady Tomoyo, I have a favor to ask of you."
Tomoyo flashed a brilliant smile. "Yes, anything."
"I have an...acquaintance I invited..." Tomoyo nodded her head enthusiastically.
"The problem is, she has no...clothes."
"No...clothes? Dresses, you mean."
"That, and no clothes. She wears...cloth, not clothes." Yue felt extremely stupid.
Tomoyo blinked. "Oh. Okay. She's going to the ball?"
"...Yes..."
"That's nice. So let me guess. You want me to help her choose what to wear?"
"Affirmative."
"It's my honor. What's she like?"
Yue sighed in relief. "She's...a worker in Roger's Bar. She has long brown hair and green eyes. Her name is Sakura."
"Oh my! What a delightful creature!"
Yue almost wanted to agree when he stopped himself in the last minute. Tomoyo, with eyes of a hawk, noticed and smiled.
This would be very fun, she thought. She hadn't played matchmaker in a very long time.
Sakura was tending to the roses in the back garden again, but hurried to the door when Mr. Roger shouted,
"Sakura! The Countess is looking for you!"
A very confused Sakura went to meet the stranger, who was still at the doorway, conversing with Mr. Roger.
"A thousand apologies, Your Excellency. I did not know he was your footman."
"No, it's very much all right. Now can I see Lady Sakura?"
"Oh, but she is but a servant. She's coming though. May I know why for, Your Excellency?"
"Why, she's going to the ball! We can't possibly let her go in rags, can we?" Tomoyo was deeply annoyed by this man. She cleverly hid it, though.
"Uh, we were just about to buy some dresses for her!" He lied.
"There is no need. I will take care of everything."
Sakura was surprised. This countess is getting me a dress? She cautiously walked over to the entrance and gasped at the amazing beauty before her.
Too speechless for words, she just bowed as low as possible.
Tomoyo felt embarrassed. This isn't right. "Hello." She said softly. You are Sakura, aren't you?" Sakura nodded her head dumbly. "Good. Come on in. I'm getting you dressed."
Sakura decided to take her hand and walked up the carriage, barefoot.
"But...but..." Mr. Roger spluttered with disbelief.
"She's mine for the day." Tomoyo did not even look at the beefy, hideous man when she ordered the carriage to 'The Mansion'.
Sakura watched as her guardian slammed the door and a shrill female scream was heard. He had woken Mrs. Roger. Sakura giggled. She suddenly remembered where she was and kept quiet immediately.
Tomoyo looked fixedly at the interesting girl in front of her and chuckled. "How old are you, exactly?"
"17...I think."
"They aren't your real parents, huh." Tomoyo asked skeptically.
"No, they are not. They found me on the streets outside their bar, with my name my robe, Your Excellency."
"Oh...I see...and they treated you like a servant." Tomoyo stated softly.
"No, they gave me a roof over my head, Your Excellency."
Tomoyo smiled. She really liked this girl. No wonder even the emotionless Yue couldn't resist her. Besides, she has really beautiful eyes.
After I am done with her, she will be the highlight of the ball, she thought gleefully.
"Your Excellency? Are you feeling all right?" Sakura had a worried frown on her brow.
"Ohohoho! Just call me Tomoyo! No need for the formalities!" Tomoyo's gloved hands took Sakura's, and giggled. "I am your friend."
A very happy Sakura widened her eyes and beamed. "Yes, Y...Tomoyo."
When Sakura saw the rolling hills, crystal-clear streams and vast woods of Camden, she gasped. And when she caught sight of the mansion itself, she stared with awe.
Tomoyo saw her reaction and smiled. "This is a fraction compared to Yue-san's Birmingham estate."
Sakura turned around to face an amused Tomoyo. "Yue...? Oh! His Grace!"
"Yep. When you have finished bathing, tell me about your experience with him, okay?"
Sakura blushed and quickly said, "There is nothing to say."
Tomoyo laughed it off. "Oh really? I don't think so." These two people are so weird when it is about each other! That's so cute.
She quickly led the astonished Sakura to she and Eriol's room, and Sakura just drank in every detail about the chandeliers, the long, thick candles, the majestic colors and the furniture. The king-sized bed was drenched in rich wine red, and the sheets were made of satin. There were two fireplaces which were so massive Sakura could easily stand inside. Portraits of the Tomoyo and Eriol were all over the top walls. The thick crimson velvety carpet sunk when Sakura stepped on it. There was a dressing table with a fancy teak chair, but on the right-side wall there was also a long, standing mirror framed with gold.
"Chiharu-chan! Rika-chan! Naoko-chan!" Tomoyo suddenly called out. Three pretty maids came from the door. "Yes, Lady Tomoyo?"
Tomoyo smiled and introduced Sakura to her most beloved servants. "Sakura-chan, these are my trusted friends, Mihara Chiharu, Sasaki Rika and Yanagisawa Naoko. Chiharu-chan, Rika-chan, Naoko-chan, this is Kinomoto Sakura."
Sakura quickly bowed and said, "Hello!" while the other three did the same, only quieter.
Tomoyo smiled at Sakura, and said, "I would love to join you in your bath, but I'm afraid I have to do some work. Oh, you are just the perfect model! I am so full of ideas!"
Sakura was confused. Join? Model? Ideas?
She, however, did not have the time to think before she was hurried into the bathroom. And what a bathroom it was! Golden taps were by the dozens, and the room looked like any other room with a big sunken hole in the middle, except for the mirrors that were supposed to be walls. The floor was of black granite, and so was the bath, for the bath was a large hole on the floor. Aureate taps decorated the sides. There was a small marble table where an enormous vase situated in the middle. It was a bouquet of roses of every color. Naoko began to fill the tub and added bottles and bottles of a thick, fragrant liquid that formed tons of bubbles. Chiharu took the job of taking the roses and pulling off every single pretty petal and throwing it into the bubble bath, while Rika undressed a very red Sakura.
"Hoe...Rika-chan, I can do that on my own..." Rika only smiled sweetly and carried on.
Soon the bath was ready and they gently led Sakura into the bubbly water. She winced at the hot temperature at first, and then relaxed. Chiharu lathered shampoo on her hands and gently massaged Sakura's scalp. Sakura tried to do it on her own, but Chiharu giggled and said, "We'll help you. You shan't do a thing. Just enjoy it!"
Rika tried her best to scrub Sakura's back. Sakura faced her back towards them, so that they could do their work easily. Naoko prepared the fluffy white towels and waited.
An hour later they were done, and Sakura stepped out and wrapped herself with a towel and gasped at her reflection in the mirror.
I am clean!
No more grime and no more dirt covered her alluring features. Sakura, for the first time in her life, felt squeaky clean and fresh.
"Don't gasp so quickly honey, we haven't even tidied you up yet!" Chiharu chuckled. Sakura was entitled a pink robe and they put it on for her. They led her to another room. Sakura kept sniffing at herself in disbelief. The other three silently giggled at her cuteness.
This other room was a dressing room, Sakura guessed, for there was a big long mirror. It was already about 12 noon. Sakura sat down and Rika brandished a big brush, and started untangling Sakura's long mid-waist hair. Smiling reassuringly at her winces and yelps of pain, Rika dried her hair with a towel and combed at the same time.
Chiharu took a mix of body, hand and face lotions and applied them onto Sakura. After that, she sprinkled a touch of neck powder, and admired Sakura's soft, but tough skin.
Naoko helped Chiharu and Rika.
Sakura took this moment to know more about them. "Ano, are all of you maids of Tomoyo?"
"Personal servants," Naoko answered helpfully.
There was another portrait of Tomoyo and Eriol. Tomoyo sat on a chair while Eriol stood behind her, his arms encircled around her. Sakura pointed to that portrait and asked politely, "Is that...Tomoyo-chan's husband, may I ask?"
Rika smiled and nodded her head. "Yes, they married when he was twenty and she was sixteen, three years ago. Tomoyo was actually the Baroness of Cardiff, you know. Until she married into the Count. It was unexpected, really. They were totally different.. Besides their good looks and superb intelligence, of course."
"Really?"
"Yes, Lord Eriol, he was...let's just say famous for his ability with the ladies, and appeared in every single ball there was. But Lady Tomoyo was quiet and refined. She was rumored to be cruel, old and ugly because she never went to any party, only those where her cousin held, which was very far away."
"Far away?" Sakura was confused.
"Her cousin, Lord Touya was the Earl of Edinburgh, totally not near here!" Naoko quipped.
Sakura widened her eyes. Edinburgh is all the way up north!
Before she could dwell on that thought, though, Tomoyo came in.
"Sakura-chan, did you enjoy yourself?"
"Certainly, Tomoyo-chan. Yanagisawa-san, Sasaki-san and Miharu-san are the greatest of help!"
"Well, I picked your afternoon dress." Tomoyo showed a transfixed Sakura a gown. It was actually a simple dress, comfortable and up to the ankles. It had several layers of petticoats, and full of white lace.
Tomoyo's shoulders shook with mirth when she saw Sakura's expression.
"You seem to have had many shocks today. And it is not even twelve past!"
"Do...do I really get to wear this?"
"For the afternoon before the ball, yes. My husband is currently out of town for the afternoon, so my afternoon tea is going to be with you, if you don't mind." Tomoyo smiled happily.
Sakura shared her excitement. Tea? With a new friend? Heavenly! "Of course I don't mind!"
Once again the three maids got to work, and put on the white home gown. Sakura felt like a queen.
In the gardens, Sakura couldn't keep her eyes off the beautiful view, and fought the urge to just lie down on the grass and count the clouds. I'll ruin the dress!
Tomoyo put down her teacup, and delicately bit onto a cookie. "So!" She began mischievously. "How did you meet our little duke?"
Sakura tensed, and looked around, as if searching for a way to escape. She saw Tomoyo's twinkling eyes and sighed, defeated. "It was nothing...on the night of the ball I didn't go, and got in trouble with some corrupt officials. Then His Grace rescued me, and invited me to the ball. It- it was compensation, for not going to the previous ball, nothing more." She added quickly.
Tomoyo nodded her head, but inside she silently thought, It wasn't compensation, my dear Sakura. It will take Yue more than that to 'compensate' something. She then smiled, and decided to let the matter drop.
"Oh well. I guess I have to wait a bit more until you are more comfortable with me!" Tomoyo half-joked. Sakura felt horrible. What's more, that's not true! She shook her head and flung her arms around while trying to tell Tomoyo otherwise. Tomoyo just laughed and sat down.
"Yes, what do you have to tell me?"
Author's Note: I guess that's the end of chapter two. Actually I wanted to put the ball and everything here, but I thought...hmmm...maybe it's not supposed to be here.
I know there are a lot of flaws, like how the hell did they manage to get to places like that so easily, but bear with me. I don't own anything.
Please Read and Review, everyone!