Forgotten Cherry Blossom

Chapter 9: Ice gardens

Sakura gathered some snow in her hands and compressed it with some difficulty. Her warm breath filled the cold air in a white vapour. "Sakura, what are you doing?" Sakura looked up to the castle only to see Syaoran look down out of his window at her.

"What does it look like? I'm making a snow man."

"You're such a child."

"You keep telling me that. So are you going to keep looking or are you going to help? Because, I could really use the help."

"Fine I'll be down in a moment." Sakura struggled on with the little ball in her hands. "So what's that for?"

"Give me a heart attack now won't you!" She rolled her eyes at him. "This is suppose to become the base of the snowman. Those balls over there are the middle and the head. So roll the ball please."

"Oh, so you're ordering me around now."

"Yes. Now roll!" Syaoran laughed at her, but rolled the small ball so it could gather snow and in the end it was a rather nice sized ball. "Put that one on that one and that one on the last one. Thank you!" She gave him a childish smile as she lifted a basket.

"What's that?"

"Why, Mr Snowman's face and arms and clothes."  She pulled out two equally sized sticks and stuck it into the snowman. Then she pulled out a carrot and stones for the nose, eyes and mouth. She wrapped an old red scarf around its neck and held up an old straw hat. She stood on her toes, but still couldn't really reach to put on the hat properly. Syaoran lifted her around her middle and she placed the hat on the snowman's head. "Thank you."

She bumped him lightly. "Looks good. Almost as good as me."

"Oh, aren't we modest. My Mr Snowman looks why better that you."

"He has a carrot for a nose, how can he look better than me?"

"Just look at those dark handsome eyes! And that sexy smile. He's every girl's dream."

"He's an idiot."

She hugged the snowman. "Don't worry about him Mr Snowman. He's just jealous."

"I'm not jealous. Who would ever be jealous of a snowman? Besides, my revenge comes with spring."

"You're mean."

"And you're a child." She threw him with some snow and ran away from him. "Oh, you're going to have to run a lot faster than that."

"I can't! The snow keeps me back. NO!" He pressed some snow in her face.

"That's unfair."

"Oh stop pouting. I won fair and square."

"Uncle Syaoran!" Several voices yelled bind them. "Uncle Syaoran!"

"Hey!"

A small girl pulled on his coat. "Who built the handsome snowman uncle?"

"Aunt Sakura built it."

Sakura grinned at him. "I told you he was handsome. Hey Rena, do you want to help me build an ice garden?"

"Ice garden? What is that uncle Syaoran?"

"I have no idea. What is an ice garden Aunt Sakura?" Sakura glared at him, but smiled at the children.

"An ice garden is a place where the ice fairies come to play. When it's really cold like it is now, the children of my kingdom will all build an ice garden."

"Where do you build an ice garden?"

"You build it under a tree with the snow and icicles. And you can make it any way you like. You can make snow flowers or icicle mountains, it doesn't matter. There will always be a fairy who would go to your garden. Like you choose your favourite toy, they choose their favourite garden to play in. And if they really like your garden they leave you a small coloured stone."

"Can we make ice gardens uncle Syaoran?"

"Yes, no one is stopping you. You can make as many as you like or as big as you like. I'm sure the ice fairies will like it very much." He laughed when all the children ran off in different directions, each bursting with ideas for their ice gardens. "Ice fairies and ice gardens?"

"Sure. Aren't you going to make one? If you don't have any ideas you can help me."

"Is that aloud?"

"Tomoyo and I used to make one together all the time, but since she's on her honeymoon with Eriol you'll have to do."

"So I'm second best." He watched her as she started to mould the snow for her ice garden. "Fine." He sighed and started to help her. Soon enough the entire Li family was out side, each making their own ice garden.

"This thing seems to be popular."

"Why wouldn't it be? We've been doing it for centuries. And it's fun. Have you ever seen them play with snow in such a imaginative way?"

"Now that you mention it, no. I'll make sure they do this every winter, it keeps them out of my hair for a day. I'll even teach it to my own children someday." He noticed Sakura looking glum at their snow garden. "What's wrong? Did I do something in the garden I shouldn't have?"

"You really want children, don't you?"

"Not right now, but I would like a son or daughter, or both. I don't care. Why do you ask?"

"I guess we'll have to marry soon, but I don't want to have children right now. I can't even care for myself properly, how am I going to care for such a fragile life?"

"Sakura, you don't have to worry about that right now. You'll know when the time comes. And you don't have to marry me, but I won't mind having you as my wife."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better."

"No I'm not. You're a really nice girl and I really like you."

"But like you said, I'm still a girl. I'm still a girl. I'm not a woman like Tomoyo or your sisters. I'm still a girl." She ran off into the castle.

"Sakura…"

Sakura grinned when she saw two small green stones in their ice garden. She picked them up and ran as fast as she could to Syaoran's room.

"Enter."

"Look! The ice fairies liked our garden, they left a stone for both of us."

"Are you serious?" Syaoran glared at her. His fingers slowly glided over his buttons to close his open shirt. "How do I know you didn't plant them?"

"Why would I do that?"

"So you could run into my room and see me half naked." Sakura blushed a deep red and glared at him.

"I have no desire to look at you. I'm a child remember?"

He came but a couple inches form her. "Sakura. Look at me." He tilted her chin so she could look at him. "You are a woman, but one who isn't afraid to enjoy life like a child. That's something. You take things as they come and make the best of them." Syaoran watched as Sakura's eyes seemed to fog over. "Sakura?"

"You take things as they come and make the best of them." A cruel voice filled her senses. "That is something else. Why don't you complain like the others? Why won't you give up you secret?"

"I don't have a secret to give. And life is what you make of it."

"Sakura." Syaoran's voice was filled with a slight panic. "Sakura, what is wrong with you? Sakura!" He shook her slightly by the shoulders and it seemed like she got the colour in her eyes back. "Sakura."

"I'm sorry. I just remembered something."

"Remembered what?"

"Something someone said to me when I was in prison. I always make the best of a situation. I was still happy, so they moved me. They put me far away from anyone so I would be sad."

"Sakura, I'm so sorry." He hugged her. She felt her cheek on his bare chest and his smell filled her every being. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault. You can't change the past, but please be in my future. I don't want to go back to loneliness."

"In this family you are never alone." He smiled at her and gently brushed his finger over her cheek. "And you'll never be lonely."

"Promise."

"I promise." His amber met her emerald and he found himself lost in it. He felt all resistance break down and he leaned in and kissed her. Her cold soft lips found heat in his and slowly her sweat sent and taste filled him. He felt her breath brush his lips and his eyes met hers. Her emerald orbs where focused on him. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…"

"Do… d… do you love me?" Her voice seemed shaky and far away.

"I do believe I have fallen in love with you."

A small tear ran down her face. "I can't fall in love."

 

AN: Ah, to fall in love. What an over rated emotion. I can feel the heat form here. Sorry, but I don't like this "fall in love" nonsense, besides what does a teenager know about love? Maybe I'll change my mind one day.