Forgotten Cherry Blossom

Chapter 7: Learn to love

Sakura awoke slowly the next morning, her head ached along with the rest of her body. She turned and nearly fell off the bed when she saw the boy next to her. Syaoran was still fast asleep with his hand lightly resting on her middle. He stayed with me the entire night? Tomoyo will never let me hear the end of this. She giggled silently. I've only been back a week and I'm already beck to worrying what she will say. Her eyes wandered over his sleeping figure.

Dark earthy hair lay in a mess on the white pillows and half way over his closed eyes. His handsome face was calm and at peace, yet his tanned skin suggested a more adventures life. His shoulders where broad and the rest of his body also reflected the training he had gone through. His green shirt was wrinkled and lay messily over his half-covered chest.  Oh, my… His shirt is half open! This is bad so bad! She felt his grip on her tighten. What do I do? What do I do? I don't know!!! I missed this part of my education! I don't know how to behave in front of men! And I don't know how to handle this situation!!!

"Stupid prison." She whispered under her breath and turned on her back. She flinched when her arm hurt. "Stupid broken arm." She struggled with the sling. "Stupid sling."

"Are you going to keep saying that everything is stupid?"

"Hoe!" Syaoran laughed at her. Her face was a mixture of shock and embarrassment. "What's so funny?"

"You."

"Well ha ha. Can I go now?"

"You could have gone a long time ago." She lifted an eyebrow at him and pointed to his hand on her. His face flushed red, but a grin along with a glint in his eyes crept to his features. "Don't you know how to lift a person's hand?"

"Of course I do. It's just…"

"Just? You don't know how to handle a situation like this."

"No." It was her time to blush. "I don't even know the proper way to act in front of… of… well, men. I kind of missed that part of my education. I don't think that's funny!"

"But I do."

"All I know about men is what I saw of my brother and father. My father was kind and caring, like any normal father and by brother kept calling me monster. That's all I know. Love from a dad and taunts from a brother. I pity the man I'm destined to marry. Eriol has it lucky."

"I think Tomoyo will keep him on his toes in every possible way."

"Hu?"

"As a wife she'll have to perform certain duties expected of her and as a partner they share the most intimate moments with each other. Especially with the number of children Eriol wants."

"I don't get it?"

"You do know where babies come from, don't you?" Sakura's eyes widened in shock. She fell from the bed and ran to the door. Syaoran laughed at her. "What?"

"That's sick!!!"

"It's natural. You'll want it to someday." She shook her head fearsly. "Don't give me that. I'm telling you, you'll want somebody so bad someday that you'll want them to become a part of you." She pulled at the door and nearly stumbled out of the room with him laughing at her.

"Tomoyo!!!"

"She won't help, it's the truth!"

"You are sick."

"You're such a girl."

"Maybe, but at least I can blame it on something. Ewww… A man! I never want to marry. Never." She ran down the hall leaving Syaoran in a fit of laughter. "To-mo-yo!"

"I don't think it's funny Tomoyo!"

"I'm sorry Sakura, but you're acting like such a child."

"So, it's not like I can help it."

"That is true, you missed that part of your education. I'll just have to teach it to you. We'll start after breakfast."

"What will I learn?"

"The basics. How to behave in the company of a gentleman, how to respond to certain situations and what's expected of you once you are married."

"I don't want to be married. I only got my freedom back and I won't be forced into another prison."

"It's not a prison Sakura."

"Yes it is. You are forever bound to a person who will expect you to do things you don't want to do and your freedom of coming and going as you please will also be taken away."

"You won't feel that way if you love the man you are going to marry."

"I should be so lucky. You can choose who you want to marry. I'm a princess remember, I have been promised to some prince when I was only thirteen. I don't have the luxury of choosing."

"You know you are engaged?"

"Yes, I heard my father and a woman talk once. She wanted me to marry her son and father agreed."

"Do you know who you are going to marry?"

"No. But I'll probably find out as soon as I have healed. I'll be shifted of to some country to marry some prince so he can have some children to take over the throne once he is laying dead in some coffin."

"Sakura! That's no way to talk about Syaoran!" Tomoyo clapped a hand over her mouth when she realised what she said.

Syaoran stared at the half open door. He had heard Tomoyo telling Sakura that marriage is not a prison and decided to listen a little longer. Eriol also stayed when he heard Tomoyo argue with Sakura about the matters of the heart.

"I have to marry her?" Syaoran's voice seemed far away. "She's my long lost finance?"

"It seems to be so, yes. Some how you don't seem too happy about it. Oh crap, she coming." He pulled Syaoran into the next room. "I don't suppose it would be that bad to marry her."

"It's my dream come true."

"What?"

"In my dreams I would always see this beautiful girl under a huge cherry blossom tree with falling petals all around her. When I approach her she would turn her head around to look at me. A faint smile would always appear on her face, but her emerald eyes would reveal no secret. When I got closer she turned and walked away, disappearing into the air."

"When did you have this dream?"

"Every night since I was seventeen. No wait, I didn't have it last night."

"Why last night?"

"I was with Sakura."

"What?"

"She asked me to stay with her. She was upset and said she has been alone for so long she didn't want to be left alone. We didn't do anything."

"What do you suppose it means?"

"That I will never get her. That she will never be mine as Tomoyo is yours."

"Are you sure?"

"You heard what she said. I'm just some prince who wants some children. Besides she thinks the entire idea is gross."

"What idea?"

"Sex. She freaked out when I said Tomoyo will keep you 'happy'."

"You said that? Oh never mind. But why? She's as old as Tomoyo, isn't she? Yeah, she's twenty. Girls at her age are long since married with children."

"She's been locked up for three years. Where do you think she would have developed a sense towards such matters?" Both men jumped when they heard Tomoyo's voice. "She was oblivious to the advances men made to her before she was captured and she'll be the same now. It's not that she's stupid or choose to ignore it, it's part of the curse befallen on her."

"Curse? What curse?"

"I can't tell. It's not my place, nor does she know about it. She should never find out about it. Understand?"

"We understand." Both said in union.

"She is capable of love, more so that any of us here. If she truly loves a person she would risk her own life for that person, like she did for me. How ever, she cannot fall in love. She will learn to love you Syaoran, and she'll love you with all her heart. She'll love you more than any person on earth loves you, but she'll never be able to fall in love with you."

"I don't understand?"

"It's simple Eriol. We can give Sakura a husband and she will learn to love him, but she will never be able to fall in love with him. She learns to love a person, she doesn't just simply love."

"So our parents arranged a marriage and hoped that she'll learn to love me."

"Yes. Syaoran, I know it's difficult for you. I've known her my entire life, I know. But treat her the way you would treat any girl you really love and in turn she will return that love."

"She'll love him like you love me?"

"She'll love him more than I nor you or you will ever be capable of."

 

AN: How to act around boys… That truly is a mystery to me. ^^; Oh well, I'll do what I usually do, ignore them and go on with my own business. Yes… I'm not a normal 18 year old, so sue me.